(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walking support system which makes supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking. More specifically, it relates to a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking which is a type of the foregoing walking support system and estimates biological data at the time of walking. Much more specifically, it relates to a walking pitch generator which is a type of the foregoing walking support system and generates walking pitches to obtain desired biological data such as a pulse rate at the time of walking.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
As one of supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, measurements of biological data such as a pulse which changes by walking (exercise) have heretofore been practiced. In the measurements of the biological data such as a pulse which changes by walking (exercise), a sensor capable of detecting a biological signal which changes by an exercise is attached directly to a living body every time the measurement is made.
Further, as one of supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, a walking pace generator has heretofore been available. This conventional walking pace generator causes a walker to walk in line with a sound or the like generated in synchronization with a preset walking pace.
However, the measurement using the sensor capable of detecting the biological signal which changes by an exercise has a problem that since the sensor receives the signal directly from a living body, the results vary depending on where and how the sensor is attached and lack reproducibility.
Meanwhile, the system which causes a walker to walk in line with a sound or the like generated in synchronization with a preset walking pace has a problem that as the walker walks at the preset walking pace, biological data such as a pulse may be increased beyond expectation depending on the body burden capacity (physical strength) of the user.
Thus, in view of the above problems of the walking support systems which make supports associated with biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking which can estimate biological data such as a pulse at the time of walking (exercise) with good reproducibility and a walking pitch generator capable of generating a walking pitch at which desired biological data such as a pulse can be obtained at the time of walking.
To achieve the above object, a system for estimating biological data at the time of walking, the system comprises: body burden capacity acquiring means; means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking; and means for estimating biological data at the time of walking; wherein: the body burden capacity acquiring means acquires a relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking; the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking acquires an exercise stress level at the time of walking; and the means for estimating biological data at the time of walking estimates biological data at the time of walking in correspondence to the exercise stress level acquired by the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking based on the relationship acquired by the body burden capacity acquiring means. Thus, signals from a living body are not directly received, and biological data is estimated indirectly by acquiring an exercise stress level which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of the living body for each walking activity, whereby reproducibility can be improved.
Further, the body burden capacity acquiring means comprises: pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means, and biological data measuring means, wherein: the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means estimates a number of different exercise stress levels prior to walking, and the biological data measuring means measures biological data corresponding to each of the different exercise stress levels estimated by the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means. As a result, the relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking can be securely determined from at least two points.
Further, the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means comprises: body weight inputting means, height inputting means, ascending/descending pitch generating means, and means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform, wherein: the body weight inputting means takes in a body weight, the height inputting means takes in the height of the platform, the ascending/descending pitch generating means generates a constant ascending/descending pitch to ascend and descend the platform, and the means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform computes an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending the platform based on the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means, the height of the platform inputted by the height inputting means and the constant ascending/descending pitch generated by the ascending/descending pitch generating means. Thereby, the exercise stress levels prior to walking can be estimated easily by inputting the data and ascending and descending the platform.
Further, the means for acquiring an exercise stress level at the time of walking comprises: walking step measuring means, walking time measuring means, walking pitch computing means, body height inputting means, walking speed computing means, body weight inputting means, and means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of walking, wherein: the walking step measuring means measures walking steps at the time of walking, the walking time measuring means measures walking time during which the walking steps are measured by the walking step measuring means, the walking pitch computing means computes a walking pitch based on the walking steps measured by the walking step measuring means and the walking time measured by the walking time measuring means, the body height inputting means takes in a body height, the walking speed computing means computes a walking speed based on the walking pitch computed by the walking pitch computing means and the body height inputted by the body height inputting means, the body weight inputting means takes in a body weight, and the means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of walking computes an exercise stress level at the time of walking based on the walking speed computed by the walking speed computing means and the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means. Thus, an exercise stress level which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body at the time of walking can be determined securely only by inputting and walking.
Further, the system further comprises walking amount computing means for computing a walking amount by use of the biological data estimated by the means for estimating biological data at the time of walking. Thereby, an accurate walking amount based on estimated biological data which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body can be obtained.
Further, the walking amount is at least one selected from exercise intensity, fat burning efficiency, a fat consumption calorie and an amount of burned fat. Thereby, accurate exercise intensity, accurate fat burning efficiency, an accurate fat consumption calorie or an accurate amount of burned fat based on estimated biological data which is hardly influenced by where and how the system is attached and the movement of a living body can be obtained.
Further, the biological data is a pulse rate. Thus, particularly accurate and easy estimation can be made because the pulse rate is highly correlated with an exercise stress level and shows a significant change with respect to the exercise stress.
Further, to achieve the above object, a walking pitch generator of the present invention comprises: body burden capacity acquiring means, assumed biological data acquiring means, assumed exercise stress level estimating means, body weight inputting means, walking speed computing means, body height inputting means, and walking pitch computing means, wherein: the body burden capacity acquiring means acquires a relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking, the assumed biological data acquiring means acquires assumed biological data which represents biological data assumed to be desirably obtained at the time of walking, prior to walking, the assumed exercise stress level estimating means estimates an assumed exercise stress level representing an exercise stress level assumed to be obtained at the time of walking in correspondence to the assumed biological data acquired by the assumed biological data acquiring means based on the relationship acquired by the body burden capacity acquiring means, the body weight inputting means takes in a body weight, the walking speed computing means computes a walking speed based on the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means and the assumed exercise stress level estimated by the assumed exercise stress level estimating means, the body height inputting means takes in a body height, and the walking pitch computing means computes a walking pitch based on the body height inputted by the body height inputting means and the walking speed computed by the walking speed computing means. Thus, by increasing or decreasing the assumed biological data acquired by the assumed biological data acquiring means, a walking pitch at which desired biological data is obtained at the time of walking can be obtained.
Further, the body burden capacity acquiring means comprises: pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means, and biological data measuring means, wherein: the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means estimates a number of different exercise stress levels prior to walking, and the biological data measuring means measures biological data corresponding to each of the different exercise stress levels estimated by the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means. As a result, the relationship between biological data and an exercise stress level prior to walking can be securely determined from at least two points.
Further, the pre-walking exercise stress level estimating means comprises: the body weight inputting means, height inputting means, ascending/descending pitch generating means, and means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform, wherein: the height inputting means takes in the height of the platform, the ascending/descending pitch generating means generates a constant ascending/descending pitch to ascend and descend the platform, and the means for computing an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending a platform computes an exercise stress level at the time of ascending or descending the platform based on the body weight inputted by the body weight inputting means, the height of the platform inputted by the height inputting means and the constant ascending/descending pitch generated by the ascending/descending pitch generating means. Thereby, the exercise stress levels prior to walking can be estimated easily by inputting the data and ascending and descending the platform.
Further, the biological data is a pulse rate. Thus, particularly accurate and easy estimation can be made because the pulse rate is highly correlated with an exercise stress level and shows a significant change with respect to the exercise stress.
Further, the assumed biological data acquiring means comprises: exercise intensity inputting means, age inputting means, resting pulse rate acquiring means, and assumed biological data computing means, wherein: the exercise intensity inputting means takes in exercise intensity desired at the time of walking, the age inputting means takes in an age, the resting pulse rate acquiring means acquires a resting pulse rate, and the assumed biological data computing means computes a pulse rate assumed to be desirably obtained at the time of walking based on the exercise intensity inputted by the exercise intensity inputting means, the age inputted by the age inputting means and the resting pulse rate acquired by the resting pulse rate acquiring means. Thus, by increasing or decreasing the exercise intensity inputted by the exercise intensity inputting means, the pulse rate desired at the time of walking can be obtained securely.
Further, the resting pulse rate acquiring means acquires, as the resting pulse rate, a pulse rate corresponding to an exercise stress level of zero based on the relationship acquired by the body burden capacity acquiring means. Thus, the resting pulse rate can be obtained easily from the already acquired relationship between the pulse rate and the exercise stress level.